9th Law of Exercise: Loving It

By Tony Horton

Exercise involves commitment, determination, planning, consistency, and intensity. If you don't like what you're doing, there's no way on earth you'll succeed. Enthusiasm is a very big piece of the puzzle. Get creative and stay curious. If you enjoy doing Power 90^® exclusively and it works for you, then keep doing it until it doesn't work for you. If you get partway through P90X^® and it's not your cup of tea, then stop and do something else. Something's got to bring you back day after day, week after week. Love it or leave it.

I don't know about you, but if I don't like or love something, then I don't do it. Period. On the other hand, I'm extremely motivated when it comes to doing the things I love. Folks always ask me what I consider to be the best ways to get in shape: "Is Power 90 really the best program for me?" "What do you think about spinning?" "I hear that kayaking is the fastest growing sport in America. Will that get me in shape?" "If I run more, will that help me burn off extra fat?" The truth is they're all great ways for losing weight, getting in shape, and living a healthy lifestyle. If any of these workouts feels like work to you, then it won't work for you, especially over the long haul. People fail to finish fitness programs because they don't enjoy what they're doing.

It boggles my mind why anyone would continue to do anything they don't enjoy. Call me crazy, but I believe that loving what you do is the key to joy and happiness in every category of life. If you're dealing with a lot of emotional drama, slaving away at work, and eating junk food, then how in the hell will you stick with a workout program that you dread before starting it? It helps to be enthusiastic about what you're doing. It's a thrill for me to see the thousands of folks start and complete my workout programs. It means that "fun and variety" are key components to people's success. Power 90 and P90X work because Beachbody supported me in my quest to incorporate the things I love.

The formula for figuring out what you love (this applies to everything in life) is simply being creative and curious (see "1st Law of Exercise: Variety"). Curiosity and creativity involve finding ways to modify, integrate, and alter your workouts so that you can incorporate the things you love into your daily routines. I'm at the point in my fitness journey where I'm not exactly sure what my workout is going to look like 10 minutes before I start it. I often develop my workouts on the fly. This approach allows me to be creative as I make my way through it. I do this when I ski and rock climb, so why not with my workouts? I've been noticing lately that some people in the Beachbody community have been combining different programs to create personalized workouts. This is genius! They're mixin' it up and finding ways to enjoy it. Loving it helps you stick with it. Sticking with it will happen when you find ways to make it interesting. I recommend this strategy only after you've completed a full round of Power 90 or P90X.

If you're anything like me, you'll discover that the same thing over and over doesn't work over time. FIND WHAT YOU LOVE (no matter what anyone else says) and do that. If you stay curious, try new things, and abandon the exercises you dislike and continue doing the ones you love, then you'll discover a fitness philosophy that you'll stick with for a lifetime.

Peace,
Tony H.